This section is to assist in the design and development of your proposed printed product and compile an accurate print quotation enquiry.

Folding & grain direction

Grain direction

Grain direction should be understood as it is often crucial for the success of the final job. A paper's grain direction is simply the direction in which the paper fibres were travelling whilst on the paper machine. This is described as machine direction (md). The direction travelling against the grain is known as cross direction (cd). Paper should normally be printed with the grain direction running across the printing machine as paper stretches less in the grain direction, giving more stability. After printing, the grain direction is still important and it is this finishing aspect that is replicated when making a dummy. For book purposes the grain must run from head to tail.

Creasing & Folding

Usually sheets that are to be folded need to be creased in the direction of the grain, thus giving a sharper, cleaner crease. Creasing paper prior to folding will always produce the best folds and is especially recommended for heavier weight papers and boards. When a job is being commercially finished it is creased around a 'forme' or a rule and the width of the rule is dictated by the thickness of the paper. The score width should never be wider than the paper.

It is almost impossible to replicate a machine made crease when making a dummy, but the overall presentation looks much neater if at least an attempt is made to score the paper or board. The handle of a metal scalpel is an efficient tool for this purpose.